Chttsetts



R. D. SMITH. CONTROL MECHANISM FOR TENSION OPERATED DEVICES.

APELICATION FILED Nov 11, 1920.

Reissued Feb.15, 1921.

I I 1/ It 1 a MW ES'ED UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RAYMOND D. SMITH, OF EAST MILTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO TREMONT PRODUCTS COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSA- CHUSETTS.

CONTROL MECHANISM FOR TENSION-OPERATED DEVICES.-

Specification of Reissued Letters Patent. Reis d F b 1 2 Original application filed April 9, 1917, Serial No. 160,876. Renewed September 16, 1919, Serial No. 324,226. Original No. 1,348,756, dated August 3, 1920. Ap lication for reissue filed November 11,

1920. Serial No. 423,501.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RAYMOND D. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, and aresident of East Milton, county of Norfolk, and, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Control Mechanism for Tension-Operated Devices, of which the following deseription, in connection with the accompanylng drawings, is a specification,-

like characters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates in general to im-,

provements in mechanism for effecting selectively the manually caused and partially automatic movements of a tension-operated device and particularly concerns such mechanism when used with a tension-operated device having associated therewith a manually and, separately energizable timing agency for automatically governing the said automatic part of its movement the act ing forces and the strength of elements available in such an agency, as for instance a common clock train, being oftentimes rela-* tively small and weak as compared with the relatively heavy and powerful tension required for automatically operating the sand device.

The 'broad object of the invention is to provide a compactly organized control mechanism for use in the above described connection, and consisting of few and simple parts, whereby manual, and also timecontrolled, automatic adjustment of a device adapted to be heavily tensioned for such automatic adjustment, may selectively and conveniently be had through simple and separate manual actuation of suitable handles or other control,instrumentalities.

Various arrangements of mechanism for selectively effecting manual and automatic control of a tension-operated device are, of course, old in many arts and I therefore wish here to point out some of the particular-advantages which my novel. improvement in such mechanism provides.

invention, '1 herein show a suitable embodiment thereof, wherein a common form of oscillatory gas plug serves as the said tension-operated device and wherein a clock train serves as the said timing agency for As an illustrative example of the principles of the governing automatic or tension-caused movement of the valve plug; and therefore ,I shall point out some of the characteristic and specific objects of my invention as exempllfied in this particular embodiment thereof, although the scope of the invention 1s by no means limited to such precise embodlment; as will be evidenced by the following description and claims.

The lnvention aims to provide a more simple, compact and inexpensive mechanism for heavily tensioning the operated device (6. 9., the gas valve) and for causing the timed, automatic release thereof when so tensioned, than has heretofore been known; and a mechanism which shall include, among 1ts novel and advantageous features of operation, the ability, at will, by manipulation of the usual valve-controlling handle to establish the valve permanently in open, partially open, or closed position in the ordinary way and independent of the associfor operating the clock train, I employ, as

the said clock-train controlling handle, the

well-known arrangement of a clock-driven,

' combined clock-winding-and-setting pointerhand, with positive stop means therefor, by which the clock train may always be stopped, independently of the'position of other parts, in a definite position of saidpointer-hand, as for instance, when the lattier points to zero on a suitably graduated ial.

My invention further provides an improved form of retaining detent for the valve, novelly arranged for independent movement between the latter and said clock mechanism whereby, when the said pointerhand is displaced from zero, the said detent is rendered operative to lock the valve in, say, an 0 en position, and under heavy-tension ten ing to close the same, and automatically to release the :valve for. closing} after a period of time proportional-to the from zero. 7

'To further the convenience of control to A degree of displacement of said pointer-hand the operator and to safeguard against a'ccidents, I provide,

in addition to the designed and heretofore mentioned usual means for manually actuating the valve, a ,conventional, fixedly mounted valve extension herein shown as a wing-nut cooperatively ,arranged with a suitably marked dial plainlyand positively to. indicate at .all times the true position of the valve; and this extension may also serveasa positive actuatingmeans for the valve if the clock train or mechanism for tensioning the valve should go wrong.

Former attempts 'at controlling, by clock mechanism or the like, the tension-caused movement of a-valveof such size and of valve more easily rotatable,

simple and approved form and gas-tight construction vas herein employed, have resulted usually in modifying the said simplevalve construction inorder to render the so that a lighter valve actuatingfspring may be used than would otherwise be possiblei It is known to thoseskilled in the art that, in the larger 7 types ofhand-operatedgas" cocks as commonly employed for controlling the flow of I illuminating gas, the said simple and a proved. construction embodies a slightly. tapered, rotatable valve plug, maintained in its seat by strong axial tension and rendered gas-tightby the use of a heavy -or thick lubricant, and that such construction necessarily produces-a strong ,frictionalresistan'ce to theturning ofithe valve improved control mechanism, hewever,'the

, novel detent arrangement which Iemploy concentric arrangemenflof allows the use of a valve 'tensioning spring of any desired panying-dra'wings in which -ing Figure 1 is a view in front elevationshow shown in closed position, the casing for-the mechanism being omitted and the valve dogplate partially F 1g. 2 1s asectionalview looking-down 6n the planes 22 in Fig. 1; and Fig." 3 is a associated therewith,

reference numerals in drawing.

A common valve body is shown at 10' and. thereby the plug 12' from against tension in v I relatlve direction of'rotatlon.

magnitude, and Lthere'fore am enabled automaticallyk-"to Y control the and from the accoma preferred form of my improved con; trol mech'amsm' asapplied toa time con trolled and tension-operated gas valve, here.-

broken away for clearness;

view similar to Fig. 1, but showingdifl'erent operative position of the various parts and further showing portions of the casing dials and certain operating and indicator parts exterior of the casing.-

Similar parts are designated by the same all views ofthe with suitably threaded terminals 11 for connee-ting the same in a pipe line. The usual rotative, tapered valve plug 12 is held in its seat 'in said body by the spring 13, as usual,

and oscillates therein to control the fiow of gas by varying the rotative position of the diametric'al opening l l through the plug.

In F ig. 1, the opening 14 is shown as pos1- A dog-plate 16;having a hub 31, is rigidly pinned to the forward end or stem 17 of the valve plug, which latter is turned down at tioned transverse the valve body and there- A fore is out, of alinement with the I gas passage 15 therein, so that the valve is closed.

this portionto a constant diameter and carries loosely pivoted thereon, and between the body 10, a spacing dog-plate 16 and the valve washer'9 and. the hub 18 of a control arm 19, provided at its endwith a handle 20. A A

coiled ribbon spring 21 at one end 22 thereof is fastened to the hub-18 and at the other end 23-130 a rearward extension 24 of thev dog-plate 16, so as normally to hold said extension 24 and the arm 19 in. engagement definite rotative relation, but separable there- .The arm 19 carries pivoted thereto at 8 latch 25; formed as a bell-crank lever and positioned by the spring 26, to engage at a catch formed end 27 thereof with, a lock studfl28 when the arm 19 7 and provided with a rearwardly extending portion 6.

A 'detent-lever 35 is and the arm 19 in 1.00 I spring 21 in, one

occupies, the posif tion shown in Fig. 1. The dog-plate 16 carries pivoted thereto at 29 a latch finger30 heldyieldingly against the hub 31 of'the 1 0 "formerby a spring pivoted) to the framev plate 36 at the stud37 and is normally positioned by'thespring 39 and stop lug 33, so that a spur portion 38 of said lever shall be engagedby the latch finger 30 in the open position of the valve shown in Fig. The

extremity 32 of de'tent lever 35 is extended rearwardly to liein the transaxialplane of a cam disk 40, as shown in Fig. 2, which disk is normally positioned so that a slot- 49, in the periphery of the same,'-shall lie in the path of movement of said extremity The disk 40 is mounted by-means of its v hub 41 on a squared portion 420i a clockarbor 43." v This arbor carries mounted therei .on with suitable frictional tightness, but so as to be relatively rotatable thereto, the ratchet wheel 44, and-has hearings in frameplates 45, 46, the latter of which is secured to a main support plate 47 extending from thevalve body 10.

The frame-plates 45, 46 support therebetween an ordinary clock train consisting of a main spring 50 connected at its inner end to the arbor 43, and at its outer end to a frame post 48 and adapted tobe wound by counter-"clockwise rotation of the said arbor in Figs. 1 and 2, after which wind ing the said spring may act slowly to drive the arbor in the reverse direction until it is returned. to its original position. A pointer-hand 51 having two operating handles 52 for turning the arbor 43 is mounted at the extremity of the square portion of said arbor'and is adapted to be intercepted in its clock-driven movement by a stop pin 59, shown in Fig. 3. A gear 54 of suitable ratio is loosely mounted on the arbor 43 to be driven in a clockwise direction ments by the usual escapement lever 56, balonly, by engagement of said ratchet wheel 44 with a pawl-53, carried by the gear 54 and pressed into such engagement by a spring 55, all of which appears from Figs. 1 and 2, and is a well-known construction in the art. The remainder of the clock mechanism .constitutes merely a train of ordinary retarding gears, one of which'is in mesh with the gear 54, and which are governed in their moveance wheel 57 and hair spring 58.

A casing 60 is provided to house both the valveand clock mechanism and on the outer surface of said casing is mounted a dial 61 for the clock-pointer hand 51 and a valveposition indicating plate 62. The valve stem 17 extends forwardly through the latter and has secured to the squared end thereof and exterior of the casing a wing-nut 63 and a pointer 64 carried therebyadapted to register with suitable markings on the "dial for indicating the position of the. valve.

The operation of the device. is as follows: 0 open or close the valve as a non-automatic device,the handle 20. is elevated ordepressed, respectively, to swing the arm 19 and valve plug 12 in unison through approximately 90 of travel, stop-means for the arm 19 being provided at each limit of its travel by frame lugs 65 and 66. After detent lever having depressed the arm to its position as in Fig. '1 to close the valve, it becomes necessary, by finger pressure upwardly on the operable end 67 of the bell-crank latch lever 25, to release the latter from engagement with the stud 28, before the valve'can be opened again. Each time the valve, is moved away from its fully open position, the

position. as shown in- Fig. 3, to

broken-line A permit the passage of latch finger 30.

If it be desired to place'the valve under tension for automatic and time-controlled closure,the pointer-hand 51, which is norlatter is permitted 35wi11be caused to yield to its mally positioned as shown in Fig. 3, is manually displaced from such position by'turning the same in the direction of the arrows in Fig. 3 to somesuch position as indicated by the brokenlines in that figure. This action rotates the cam disk 40, so that the slot 49 in the periphery thereof no longer falls opposite the rearward extension 32 of the detent lever 35, and such displacement of the cam disk obviously prevents subsequent yielding of detent lever 35, until the cam disk has been returned to its original position. In a fully opened position of the valve, therefore, the dog-plate 16 is now prevented from fol lowing up the arm '19 when the latter is swung to its position as in Fig. 1 as normally adapted to close the valve. But tension in the spring 21 is thereby established, tending to close the valve, and arm 19 will be locked in its said tensioning position by engagement of latch lever 25 .with the stud 28. The cam disk 40 and pointer-hand 51 are now slowly rotated by the main spring 50 in a clockwise direction until the pointer-hand 51 again assumes its position as in Fig. '3, at which point the said pointer-hand and thereby the clocks progress is stopped by the pin 59. The slot 49 in cam disk 40 is thus again brought to register with the extremity of detent lever 35 whereby yielding of the to release the finger 30 and permit the valve to close. Of course, the time consumed in the return of the pointer hand and to its stopped position is proportional to the degree of original displacement therefrom, and such' time may be suitably indicated by appropriate graduation on the dial 61.

Certain important and novel features of It will be obvious as hereinbefore stated that the pointer-hand 51 may be set for preventing the yielding 'of detent lever 35, Without there being necessary any prelimi nary movement of the valve or other parts to permit such setting; because of the novel arrangement of detent lever 35, which norcxc'ept while yielding to permit the passage of the latch finger 30. In this connection, it should be noted that in case the ointe-rhand 51 be displaced from zero, anc the de-' tent lever 35 thereby prevented from yielding while the valve is in'other than fully opened position, subsequent movement of the valve to such position, for being locked therein by the detent 35, is permitted by the yielding nature of the latch finger 30.-

The mechanical formation of the detent parts 6, and 38, are also such that by slight variation in the shape of same any desired proportional relation and cotiperative 115 mally does not engage with the cam. disk amounts 'of the total ,tension of the valve spring 21m'ay be imposed respectively upon the pivot 29 and the cam disk 41. Thus it will be evident that a very powerful tension for closing the valve may be established in the spring 21 and that such tension may be operatively opposed by a very slight pressureof the detent lever 35 upon the cam disk 41, so that excessive frictional resistance to the clock-caused rotation-of the disk isavoided without the use of any additional abutment agencies for lessening the said pressure onthe cam disk. r

Plain and true indication of the position of the valve and positive control thereof, is afi'orded at all times by the wing-nut 63,

" such indicationbeingof material benefit in the common uses of a time-controlled-valve,

such as in connection with a small gas water heater. When used in this capacity, also,'it is common to provide an outlet in the valve body 10, for a by-pass conduit to a pilot burner usually situated in igniting relation lengthened to twelve, twenty-four, or even to the" heater burner.

, While the actual clock train herein shown contains such ratio of gearing that'on'e complete revolution of the disk 40 consumes approximately two-hours, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that, by suitable modification of such ratio, this time may be more hours; and in this connection it should be stated that Ido not confine myself to a concentric arrangement-of the 40 and pointer-hand 51. v 7

Also, while the detent-controlled device and releasing mechanism therefor is herein illustrated (with the device constituting direction only ;the said'device being driven 4 9' specifically an oscillatory valve stem) as Y the said devlee and a rotary movement of less than'a full rotation of the controlling having a rotary, cillatory movement of element therefor (that is, the clock-driven *disk),-it will be obvious that the same arrangement for controlling a heavily tensioned device may be. applied to 'a controlled device arranged for progressive, but

interrupted, movement by stages, and in one by any suitable motor. such asan independently wound spring, as is common .in devices adapted to be automatically operated periodically and without attention for several days. Similarly, the clock-driven disk may, appropriately be driven through and desired number of full rotations. Further, in such an arrangement, a plurality of synchronously driven timing may be mounted,

concentrically or otherwise, and arranged each-to govern a separate detent in the manner that detent lever 35, herein illustrated,

. is governed ;'this plurality of detents acting successively to retain and release progressively the .said device in its rotations,v

thus providing-,9, simple, time-controlleddevice securing by. a single energization of its driving power a plurality of automatic actions of the device at the lapse of pro-determined time intervals.

The ready application of the simple principles of my invention to well-known types of devices as above described is believed to be so obvious as not to require illustration, and certainof the claims, therefore, are not limited to the specific construction of asin gle detent lever and to limitedrotary movement of either the controlled device or of the detent controllingelement, which parts I have herein-shown in such simple form only forthe purpose of illustration.

Many of the advantages which I have' herein pointed out as resident in my novelly 4 arranged" control mechanism as applied to a gas valve are of course entirely relevant to other possible applications of this mechanism -or its equivalent, as for instance to an electric switch orother iiseful device adapted to be operatively adjusted by manually, and when desired automatically, verned mechanical movement, and wit out therefore limiting the scope of my, invention to the precise form thereof herein dis- ;Olosed.

What I claim as new is: 1-. The combination with'a rotatable, tension-actuated device, of a manually operable, concentrically pivoted, and oscillatory,

actuating member therefor, having abutting contact therewith and a spring connection.

thereto arranged yieldinglyjto'maintain said abutting contact; a movable detent arranged normally to intercept said device and to yield for permitting the movement thereof;

timing vmechanism for governing said detent, operatively. adjustable independently thereof, 'and including a reinforcing element for said detentmanually movable into and out of inoperative position, and adapted 'automatically tobe impelled to said position,-

the said element being further arranged, onl

a predetermined time; and 'a manually retractable latch forlocking said member rotatively displaced from said abutting contaet with said device when the latter is arrested by said detent, whereby tension is established in said spring connectlon for actuating saiddevice upon releaseof the latter by said detent. 1

' 2. The combination'with amovable, tension-actuated device; of a separately movable and manuallyoperable, actuating member therefor, having abutting contact therewith and resilient connection thereto arranged yieldingly to ;maintain said abutting contact; a projectioncarried by said device; a detent lever pivoted to a stationary frame portion and resiliently positioned for in) when displaced from its Said'POSItIOII, -to"1ntercept said detent thereby to render the latter operative to arrest saiddevice for to be impelled to said position,the said cam being formed and positioned only when displaced from its said position, to obstruct the retraction of said detent lever by engagement With a portion thereof, and thereby to render the latter operative to arrest said device for, a predetermined time; and a manually retractable latch for locking said member displaced from said abutting contact with said device when the latter is arrested by said detent lever, whereby tension is established in said resilient connection for ac-,

tuating said device upon release of the latter b said detent.

3. etent mechanism for automatically releasing a device tensioned for movement, embodying in combination with said device, and an actuating member therefor having resilient connection thereto whereby displacement of said member relative to said device tensions the latter for movement; a finger carried by said device and arranged yieldingly to project therefrom to cause interception of said device only in the direction of tension-impelled movement of the latter; a movable detent formed and normally positioned, by engagement with said finger, yieldingly to oppose said movement of the device, and adapted normally to retract from said engagement to permit said movement; means for locking said detent in its normal position, including a movable element, man'ually displaceable from'a detent releasing position thereof independently of the position of said device, and automatically returnable to said releasing position,the said element being further arranged only when displaced from its said releasing positlon to intercept said detent whereby the latter is rendered operative to arrest said device for a predetermined time; and a latch to lock said member relatively displaced from said device when the latter ls arrested by said detent.

4:. The combination with a pivoted rotary device and means to tension the same for" limited rotary movement of a. projecting element carried by said device; a detent leverarranged to rock on a stationary pivot adjacent to said device; resilient means acting to rock said lever toward said device and into the path of movement of said projection, and further arranged normally to permit reverse yleldlng movement of said lever to permit the escape of said projection there from when the former is subjected to the thrust of the latter; a power-driven rotatable cam having an indented surface formed and positioned to be free of engagement with said lever in the normal position of the latter, said indented surface being adapted to prevent and permit said reverse movement of said lever by obstructing and clearing the path thereof in different rotative positions of said cam; whereby said lever is rendered operative respectively to arrest and to release said device in its tension-caused movement; the position of said lever pivot relative to the direction of thrust of said element upon saidlever and the cooperative formation of the engaging portions of said element and lever being such that said thrust is borne mostly by said pivot but in part by said cam.

5. Clock-released escapement mechanism embodyingin combination with a rotatable device and common means manually to actuate said device and to tension said device for escapement controlled movement;

' a clock-driven cam mounted for limited rotation in operative "proximity to said device and operatively adjustable independently thereof; a detent lever, free of connection to said device and pivoted for oscillatory movement between a position for intercepting said device and a position for engagement with said cam; resilient means arranged normally to maintain said lever in its former position, and to permit devicecaused yieldin movement thereof to its said latter posltion for. permitting the escapement of said device therefrom,-the

formation of said cam being such that said yielding of the detent lever is obstructed during a portion of the cams rotation, and permitted at a designed point thereof.

6. In combination, a power-driven ro v tary 'device ;'independently power-driven rotating controlling means for said device; and a separately mounted detent member operatively interposed between said means and device, resiliently positioned normally to free said means and to engage with said device, and cooperatively arranged when unrestrained to be caused to yield from engagement with said device through pressure of said device thereon ;the said means beelement.

cessive therewith by 'tative positions of the latter renders said device to be controlled by successively pre-- venting and permitting rotation thereofan independently power-driven rotating 'ele-i ment 'so' to control said device through auxiliary means operatively interposed betweensaid element and device; and said auxiliary means, arranged normally to lie in the rotative path of said device but adapted to be retracted from said path by the pressure of said device thereon when otherwise unrestrained, and cooperatively arranged with said element respectively to be restrained in its normal position and to be rendered free for recession therefrom at di f-' positions respectively of said ferent rotative 9. In combination, a powerdrive-nrotary device to be controlled by successively preventing and permitting rotation thereof; an independently power-driven rotatin element so to control said device throug separately mounted auxiliary means operatively interposed between said element and device; said auxiliary means being normally positioned'in the path of said device and arranged normally free of operative constraint upon either said device or said element, vbut further cooperativelyarranged so that sucengagement and disengagement said element at successlve romeans operative respectively to hold and to release said device, thereby respectively to:

prevent and to permit rotation of the latter.

10. A time-controlled rotary device, hav- 1 ing rotarymovement and constantly tensioned' for: 'ret'urn to a' fixed position agalnst a'l mlting stop, comprising in combination wlth said device; an independently pivoted, yielding detent lever normallyjten- 'sioned' against a stop; coeperating detent members, one carried by said leverand one by saidide'vice, and cooperatively "arranged,

yice .is moved in a direction away from said position; and a power-driven rotating disk arranged cooperatively with said'lever and "f-of said members by yielding-movement of said lever durmga-portion of the -rotation of the disk and to prevent said escapement' signed during another portion of disk rotation;

ll: time-controlled rotary'device, having limited rotary-movement and constantly tensioned for return to a fixed position against a limiting stop, comprisingvin combination with said device: an independently I pivoted, yielding detent lever normally tensioned against a stop; cooperating detent members, one formed as a fixed portion ofv said detent lever and the other as a yieldlng member carried by said device and cooperatively arranged to permit escapement' therebetween only when said'deviceis moved in a direction away from' said position; and a power-driven rotating disk arranged co-. operatively with said lever and said detent members to permit escapem'ent ofsaid mem-' bers by yielding movement of said lever during a portion of the rotation of the disk and to preventsaid escapement during another portion of disk rotation; with means manually to rotate said disk and simultaneously to control. its driving means ;w hereby Sfild disk mav be set, and said devicemay be moved to a position to be controlled by said disk; independentlyof the sequence of such 0 erations.

.12. he combination, with a movable ele-' ment, of a resilient connection to said-{element adapted normally to establish a de- Position thereof; manually operable means or displacing said element from its said position; a projection extendingfrom 'said element; a yielding detent free: of connection tosaid element and to said-projec tion'and therewith cooperatively positioned and formed normally to be engaged by the latter and displaced thereby from the path ,of movement thereof whensaid element is moving toward itssaid position; means manually adjustable to prevent the said displacement of said detent and thereby to ,arrest said device under tension of said resilient connection; and power means, energized by the manual adjustment of said first means,

to retract the latter and permit said detent to release said device.

13. Timing mechanism for a gas valve adapted for reciprocative movement between 1y operable controlling extension there open and closed rpositions thereof, embodywith one as a yielding member, to permit I escapement therebetween only when said defor; a one-way yielding projection on said extension arranged-when intercepted to erx mit opening movement thereof; a yielding .said detent members to perm t escapement detent free ofconnection to said extension.

andpositioned iormally to intercept said,

proiectio'n in onlythe open position of the valve; tensioning. means tending to close the valve; means normally operative to permovement free of restraint by said detent mit the escape of said projection from said when the latter is normally positioned, detent; whereby said detent is rendered norwhereby said member is rendered adjustable mally inoperative to arrest movement of the independently of the position of said valve 5 valve in either direction; and a clock-driven to arrest the latter in its open position for a 15 member to lock said detent in its normal popredetermined time, sition with means independently to stop the In testimony whereof, I have signed my former in a position to release said detent name to this specification. said member being manually displaceable 10 from its said position and mounted for RAYMOND D. SMITH. 

